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Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani has set February 9, 2025, as the date for regular parliamentary elections in the Balkan country. Osmani signed a decree saying the date was set after consultations with the political parties and the Central Election Commission. Osmani’s political adviser, Bekim Kupina, said February 9 was chosen as “the optimal date that balances the preferences of all difficult parties.” Kupina quoted the presidency as saying it was important that the election campaign begin after January 7, the end of winter holidays. He also noted that Osmani has invited the EU to send a mission for a preliminary assessment and will turn to the EU again to request election observers.
Kosovo’s president announced on Friday that parliamentary elections will be held in February next year in what would be its first regular election since declaring independence in 2008.
“Regular elections for the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo will be held on February 9, 2025,” said the decree signed by President Vjosa Osmani and published on the President’s Facebook account.
In the same decree, Osmani instructed the Central Election Commission “to undertake all necessary actions for the organisation and holding of the elections”.
The last general elections were held in February 2021, in which current Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s Vetevendosje (Self-determination) party won just over 50 percent of the vote.
The government led by Kurti will be the first to complete its full four-year term.
All the elections that have been held since Kosovo declared independence in 2008 have been extraordinary and were the result of internal political crises.
The election comes at a time of very strained relations with Serbia, which did not recognise the independence of its former province.
Tensions between Pristina and the Serb minority in Kosovo, especially in its north, where Serbs are in the majority, are also likely to cast a shadow over the elections.
Kurti’s government has been trying to take over all the levers of power in the north and eliminate the parallel education, healthcare, banking and postal services which are financed by Belgrade to ensure the political loyalty of the Serbs in Kosovo, who also do not recognise its independence.
Radio Free Europe